Casket hardware



April 18, 1939. R. LARSON CASKET HARDWARE Original Filed. Dec.

. Imam cl/"507a.

Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,155,197 CASKET HARDWARE ration of Illinois Original application December 12, 1936, Serial No.

Divided and this application August 14, 1937, Serial No. 159,168

1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in casket hardware and has particular reference to casket handles.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide casket handles embodying novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of the parts and members thereof including rigid and simplified structural elements affording the production of such handles at a comparatively reduced cost of manufacture and facilitiating the assembly and installation thereof.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel construction in the ornamental brackets of a casket handle which shall afford adequate structural rigidity and each of which brackets shall include spaced outwardly disposed integral portions adapted to constitute supporting abutments arranged to rigidly support an integral ornamental handle bar.

Still another object of the invention is found in the provision of a unitary molded or cast ornamental casket handle consisting of extended handle portions cast integrally with a handle bar portion and with a plate portion which is adapted to be secured to the casket wall.

The invention which is shown in preferred embodiment in the attached drawing, is described in the following specifications and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a casket showing a pair of handles embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear view of a unitary casket handle made in accordance with my invention and consisting of a handle portion cast or molded integrally with the bracket or plate portion;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 showing one of the securing members; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing another securing member.

It may be stated that the invention is not limited to a handle of any particular ornamental or artistic design since the construction or structural features of the invention can readily be applied by those skilled in the art to handles of various other artistic designs, nor do I wish to be understood as limiting the invention to handles of metallic caskets as obviously the handles embodying my invention may readily be applied to caskets of wood or other materials.

In the unitary handle shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, I provide a cast comparatively thin shell-like plate or bracket 23 which is formed with a plane-aligned marginal upper rim 23 on its inner face and a pair of spaced, preferably hollow, outwardly and downwardly disposed integral extensions 23 constituting supports for a laterally disposed, and preferably hollow, handle bar 23 formed integrally with the extensions 23 The rear face of the plate 23 is also formed with a rib 23 having a face plane-aligned with the face of the upper rim 23 and with the vertically disposed flattened rear wall portion 23 of the extensions 23 The plate 23 is increased in section at its upper ends around the openings 2i for bolts 24 which extend through the casket wall l5 and reinforcing bar H. The plate 23 is also increased in section at the center of substantially the root portion of each extension 23 and provided with an opening therein which is aligned with a similar opening in the wall 23 adapted to receive the bolt 25 which also extends through the casket wall IS and reinforcing bar I1. These bolts 25 together with the bolted rim po-rtions 23 23 and the walls 23 cooperate to resist displacement of the handle upon the exertion of an upwardly and outwardly applied force in the handling of the casket by such handles.

It will be noted that the design and construction presented herein obviate the use of all fragile and costly hinges which are now commonly employed between the brackets and the handle bars of the usual casket handles.

This application is a division of my application for patent for improvements in Casket hardware, Serial No. 115,553 filed December 12, 1936.

I claim:

A unitary casket handle comprising a plate portion having a front face and constituting a comparatively shell-like body with a rearwardly extending plane-aligned narrow marginal edge adapted to engage the side wall of the casket, a pair of spaced extensions formed integrally with said plate and disposed to extend forwardly and downwardly of said front face, said extensions being hollow and having rear portions extended rearwardly into plane-alignment with said plate portion marginal edge, means for securing said plate portion to the casket wall, a handle bar integrally connecting said extensions, said handle bar connecting the downwardly extending portions of said extensions below the forwardly extending portions thereof, and a bolt extending through each of said hollow extension portions into securing engagement with the casket wall.

RAYMOND LARSON. 

